Korean Job Discussion Forums

BRcouple · Joined: 08 Nov 2008 Location: Baton Rouge, LA

My wife and I are still in the U.S. and are trying to explore all of our options.

My question is: how hard is it to cut out the middleman and open your own small hagwon? I know that an E-2 has to put up 50,000,000 won to get a visa changed to D-8 or whatever it is, but my wife will be an F-4, and we could perhaps work with her Korean relatives.

I assume it's difficult or more people would do it, but I want to make sure I at least know what it takes.

Juregen · Joined: 30 May 2006

jadarite · Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 3:16 pm Post subject:

Get a hagwon job way out in the country. The owner won't care what you teach (nor will they help you), and it will be like you have your own hagwon without it written in paper.

BRcouple · Joined: 08 Nov 2008 Location: Baton Rouge, LA

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

Go to my website to hear a podcast all about it:

www.themidnightrunner.com

It's one of the older podcasts on the right, from earlier this summer. By the way, the guy did sell his hagwon, and has moved off to the Phils.

Xuanzang · Joined: 10 Apr 2007 Location: Sadang

rooster_2006 · Joined: 14 Oct 2007

I've got to say, I'm really interested to know more about the D-8.

It seems relatively easy to put together $35,000 and get a visa to run your own legally licensed business. There are a ton of Americans, Canadians, British, Australians, etc. that have $35,000 saved up, if for nothing else, retirement.

So why is it, then, that people complain about the huge hassles of running a business in Korea? Why is Korea consistently ranked fairly low among the OECD countries for setting up a business, when basically any schmuck who works hard for two years in a western country can save enough money to get a D-8?

I have a Korean woman and have been living here for nearly 4.5 years, and am starting to think of staying and pursuing my dreams here, and the D-8 seems like a great way to do it. I love programming, and with a D-8, I could write software and employ skilled Koreans very cheaply. I also speak Korean quite well and would have no problem communicating with monolingual employees. So I just don't get it, since getting the D-8 visa isn't that hard, why aren't more people on D-8s, and why is setting up a business here considered difficult?

Join Me · Joined: 14 Jan 2008

Before you even consider starting a business in Korea you should do one thing. Come to Korea to live and work for a couple years. Many, many foreigners discover after arriving in Korea that it is not the place for them. In fact, most foreigners discover this. I like living in Korea and so do some others on this board. But until you actually live here and determine if this is your cup of tea or not (and it really takes a few years of living here to figure that out) you are wasting your time (and possibly money) contemplating starting a business. Chances are better than 50% you won't last a year here and chances of joining the 2% or so that actually stay here and make of life of it are much slimmer.

Ukon · Joined: 29 Jan 2008

frankhenry · Joined: 13 Mar 2007

Because everything that should logically be ok, won't be! The key word here is "logic"....

Cheonmunka · Joined: 04 Jun 2004

If the school is in wife's name she would also have to have certain registration to be able to employ you and/or other foreign workers.

BRcouple · Joined: 08 Nov 2008 Location: Baton Rouge, LA

bassexpander, thanks for your podcast. It's clear that, as a foreigner, starting a hagwon from scratch is something only an asian law expert could do.

Juregen · Joined: 30 May 2006

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

You don't have to be an Asian law expert, but there are a ton of hoops to jump through. One thing he didn't mention is that one of his rooms was a few centimeters too short. The inspection guy was hinting that he wanted bribe money to ignore this fact. A couple of calls to some locally influential friends handled the situation, if memory serves.

I think that, to make a hagwon work, your best off starting small in an apartment complex, building students in your home, then branching off into a separate business if you are successful. The hagwon market is oversaturated. Many are dying. Keep that in mind.

He also mentioned that he has had "spies" from other schools seeking to see his required legal paperwork and railroad him if he can't produce it. Expect the same.

Also, remember that he said he would have opened a bar instead. He was serious... he sold his hagwon off in a year. You should ask yourself why (or ask him).

Xuanzang · Joined: 10 Apr 2007 Location: Sadang

There`s tons of bars but go with some sort of foreign theme., Get cilentel and a decent location and I`m sure there`s chance of success than hagwons.